Bottled water is not included. You can buy the soda package on embarkation day at special stations set up for it - they will also have souvenir cups that are included. You don't HAVE to use the souvenir cup by the way...this is a common misundertanding. They will put a sticker on your cruise card too, which you can use to get regular bar glasses of soda. After embarkation day you can get the soda package at just about any bar. They often run out of the souvenir glasses so if you want to buy this I suggest you do it on embarkation day.

Including the 15% automatic gratuity, a can of soda costs $1.73. On our last cruise we got the soda card for our son and it was $32.20 (again including the tip). An adult card is more expensive - about equal to the price for 25 cans of soda. The kid's card equals 18 cans in cost. The soda card does not get you a can of soda. It gets you a glass filled from the bar fountain - about 8 ounces or less per serving.

You know I have to chime in again on the soda card. It also includes juices which are not free after breakfast. If you drink water, juice and soda at every meal, the card is worth money. If you plan on drinking wine or other liquors at dinner or between meals, it probably is not worth it.

As I have posted before...it is about 4 sodas a day if you get the card. if you get a souvenir glass, it holds a 12 ounce can including ice. If you drink sodas at dinner, your waiter will refill your soda glass plenty of times. One of our table mates paid for a soda each time at dinner and did not have the card and he had about 2 cans each time.

So if you drink sodas or juice at the pool, between and after meals, you will pay for the card.

Once again...if you drink alcohol, you will probably not need a soda card.